Good and Bad News About Your Baby’s Ear Infection

When my daughter came down with her first ear infection as a baby she was in a tremendous amount of pain. Back then I did what most first-time moms would do, I high tailed it to the pediatrician and expected the doctor to help alleviate my baby’s discomfort and help heal her infection. However, instead of leaving the ped’s office with a handful of prescription antibiotics and a list of tried and true pain relieving techniques, all I went home with was a super cranky baby. My daughter’s doctor has a wait-and-see policy to avoid over-prescribing antibiotics to their young … Continue reading

Ear Pain and Babies

“Mommy, my ear hurts!” These days it is much easier to pinpoint the source of my daughter’s pain, but this was not the case when she was a baby. Back then I would have to drag my child into the pediatrician to see if she had an ear infection because her symptoms were not unusual. Common symptoms associated with ear infections include: *Ear pain *Tugging at the ears *Trouble sleeping *Loss of appetite, diarrhea or vomiting *Increased irritability *Fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher *A thick, clear or yellowish, fluid draining from the ears The problem was that my … Continue reading

Babies and Bee Stings

Nothing spoils an outdoor activity with your baby faster than a bee sting. I know this for a fact. When I was seven a bee stung my 11-month-old brother at our favorite park. It’s a scene forever etched in my memory. Actually, I don’t remember every detail, but I’ll never forget my brother’s blood curdling screams following the sting. Unfortunately, bees like to frolic in summer’s warm temps as much as children do. From parks to pools, bike rides to backyard cookouts, there are very few outdoor activities that don’t attract unwanted buzzing guests. My young daughter is deathly afraid … Continue reading

Homeschooling and Animal Planet

We have a ‘TV off until 4 PM’ policy in our homeschool. There is one exception though. I allow the kids to watch Animal Planet almost whenever they please. (So I guess it is an ‘educational TV only before 4 PM’ policy). They mostly watch Animal Planet in the early afternoons and they also watch it a lot in the summer when I lighten their workloads. Animal Planet is an awesome channel and teaches my kids about so much. Many of the topics,I know nothing about. Here are some of the things they have learned. 1. How a baby is … Continue reading

How to Protect Your Baby from Stinging Insects

A new study reveals that an increasing number of kids in the United States are allergic to bee stings. Fortunately, scientists also found that the majority of babies, who suffer allergic reactions to insect stings, eventually outgrow the allergies. Still, babies and bee stings never equate to a happy situation. Bee stings are a painful annoyance that cause soreness, some swelling and redness. What’s more, during the summer months, your baby’s chance of getting stung by honeybees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets increases dramatically if you spend a lot of time in the great outdoors. Don’t let a stinging insect … Continue reading

Preparing for Baby When Money is Tight

The current economic climate is affecting families in a broad range of ways. Whether one partner has lost a job, had their hours reduced or the rising cost of food and energy is sapping the budget, there may not be as much money to go around these days. Sadly, it is a sign of the times and is likely to continue for some time. If you are pregnant and short on cash, you may be worried that you won’t have what you need when the baby arrives. Fortunately, new babies need very little. We are conditioned by advertising to think … Continue reading

Staying Safe at a Theme Park

Keep your baby safe while you are visiting a theme park with the following tips. Here at the Romans home, we are gearing up for those summer day trips. One place on our list is the Dutch Wonderland theme park, located in nearby Lancaster (Amish) County. This theme park is really geared up for little ones with gentle rides, strolling princesses and dragons and lots of fun activities. We are really looking forward to visiting and taking lots of photos of the kids in action, including our youngest who isn’t yet two. While theme parks can be fun, we always … Continue reading

9 Great Things About Disney Cruises

There are many great things about Disney cruises but here is a list of the top nine. 1. You won’t lose money. You won’t find any casinos on a Disney cruise ship. 2. The kids won’t get bored. Disney cruises have planned activities and child care for children of all ages throughout each cruise. You can still have a romantic adult dinner on a Disney cruise without having to worry about who is watching your kids. 3. You won’t get bored. There are still nightclubs, fitness centers, an adults-only restaurant, and even wine and beer tastings. 4. You’ll enjoy a … Continue reading

The State Is Interested in Finding Families for Children.

It may seem it has been a long time since you contacted the state and decided to have an Adoption Only home study completed. While there were some valid reasons to consider the foster to adopt program your family has chosen to only have children legally free, or very close to it, placed as pre-adoptive rather then risk fostering and waiting to see if a child will become available for adoption. Training is finished, the background check is done and your friends and family have provided the references. You have seen the doctor and had a full physical and may … Continue reading